Valve



" Dec. 27, 1927.

' 1,654,517 G. WILSON VALVE Filed Jan. 2 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 i172 Wm ATTORNEY.

Dec. 27, 1927. 1,654,517

- V\ !.G.W|LSON VALVE I I Filed Jan. 25, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ""14 TTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 27, 1927.

uNiTEo STATES WYLIE G. WILSON, or JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY.

1 VALVE.

Application filed January 25, 1926. Serial No. 83,421.

This invention is a valve.

In the valve art, it is of fundamental importance that the seal effected by the valve be a'tight seal and that the valve be capable of functioning a great number of times without becoming leaky, i. e., it should be repetitive in character, while retaining its capacity to produce a tight, seal.

Pursuant to the practices of the prior art, valve seals have been formed by bringing a rigid sealing element into engagement with a rigid seat, or by forming one of these elements of material which is permanently cleii'ormed ordistorted in'producing the seal or by interposing a gasket, composed 0 permanently deformable material, intermediate the sealing element and its seat. In the first instance, difficulties are-encountered in accomplishing a tight seal because of irregularities in the two surfaces incident to their construction, to wear, to the presence of foreign matter between them, or to other causes.- In the second and third instances, the deformable bodies very soon become so permanently distorted, as result of wear, physical deterioration or other cause, that they can no longer produce a tight seal. In all the prior art structures, frequent inspecr tion and repairs, at very considerable annoyance and expense, are necessary inorder to maintain tight valves, v

With these considerations in mind, the primary object of the present invention is to provide a-valve capable of effecting a tight seal throughout long periods of repetitive use and under operating conditions,

whereunder the valves of the" prior art become ineffective after a relatively short period. Another object of the invention is to so constitute the sealing element or elements and so operate them, that they may be constructed economically and without that refined workmanship which is usually incident to the grinding of valves and valve seats so that they will cooperate perfectly. The present structures are such that, even though in their primary manufacture they may not be axially coincident withrelation to each other or of truly complementary shape, yet in the operation 7 of the. valve,, they will adjust themselves to such irregularities and compensate for the'same by reason of the material from which they are manufactured and the particular formemployed in this connection.

Speaking generally the valve of this in vention embodies a substantially cylindrical port opening, the wall of which constitutes a valve seat. Into and out of this port opening, a sealing'element is adapted to be moved and an adjustable stop. or abutment is provided to limit the extent to which the sealing element can be moved into the cylindrical port opening. The sealing element is of composite hollow conical form, and of substantially discus shape, in that it, comprises tvvo hollow conical sections integrally united at their bases and having a common peripheral edge. I

I have discovered that a hollow sealing element of the shape described will function with remarkable efficiency in the formation of a tight seal, when such sealing element is constructed from materials which, for the purpose of this invention, are termed ob- 1 durate materials. By this term is meant materials which are bendable, but not easily bent, compressible, but not easily compressed, elastic, but not easily deformed. As examples of obdurate materials, I may mention,

without excluding others, iron, steel, hard alloys (such as bronze), glass, ceramic materials, hard rubber, and wood. These materials are in pronounced contradistinction to those, which may be termed non-obdurate, such as leather, asbestos,.soft rubber, soft metals, etc.

The obdurate materials, when employed pursuant to this invention, are operated within their elastic limit, by which I mean that, when embodied in the form of a sealing element and placed under stresseswhich tend to deform said element, incident to pro OI'III am A A element be properly stressed in the senset-hat is required in this invention to produce the seal.

By axial compression, I mean pressure:

Whereby its altitude is diminished and the peripheral diameter of its base increased.

Attention is particularly directed to the fact that the stressing of the sealing'element' or elements must be within the elastic limit thereof; otherwise, said element would not "the seal is maintained as-long-as the ele- -ment isthus stressed. However, when these tend to'resume- (i. e.,ten d to spring back to) its normal unsealing form.

"Theterm elastic limit, as employed in the specification and claims of this application, 'isso employed to'designate that qual-' ityor-characteristic of'the conical forms of obdurate material employed which, when compressed within predetermined limits and then relieved of such compression, will cause said conical form to tend to return to approximately its original form and size. It is intended that such compression shall be within and not beyond the tendency of said conical section to return to its original tor-mend "size. That is to say, it is'intended that the degree of axial pressure employedshall not be sufficient to breakdown and destroy the resilient or reactive quality ot the conical. -for-m herein described. On the contrary, it is the purpose in practici-ngt-his invention -that the degree of compression employed shall be limitedto a degree'where-such re- 1 active-characteristic of said conical form will not be seriously affected.

For a-better understanding or the operation "of the sealing element of hollow discus or composite con1cal-iorm,-1t is suggested a clearer conception of the operation of that it-functions like a toggle. 1 This analogy "15, of *course, not absolute, but when considered in that light, it may be' helpful to tlie invention. hen force is applied tothe 'elbow of a toggle, a greater force is exerted 50 5 force increases in proportion as the axial dimension of the toggle relative to the d1sat the ends oi the toggle links, and this tance-between the-ends ofthelinks, becomes less and less. I

The sealing element 0t the-present invention may be considered as functioning like a multiplicity of toggles; that'is to say, there is a toggle-like action ineach diametric plane, and, obviously, thereis an infinite num ber of toggles. When the sealing elementis compressed axially, the dimensions of such element and the proportioning of the obdurate material" of which it is composed, bring about, within the element, the steadily increasing functional characteristics incirection coaxial with or parallel'to its -axis,

dental to toggle action. This action results in a cross axial or radial movement of the sealing element untilits periphery or peripheries are forcedinto tight sealing engagement with cooperating seats. The obdurate element, is sodimensioned and proportioned'that the seal is effected, in the manner described, before the elastic limit of the element is reached. Accordingly, upon releaseof-the'stresses incident to producing the seal, the element tends to autogenously, i. e., automatically, break the'seal. It therefore" follows that'in a valve embodyingthis invention; the seal is e ltected by-stressing a sealing element-of obdurate material within its elastic limits" and that stresses are'relieved the seal is broken.

3 Particular attention is called to the fact that: the valve seat is substantially cylindrical, since" this allows 7 the sea-ling element to be-movsdinto a predetermined relationship with the seat and thereupon stressed into sealing engagement with said seat.

"The exact; position of suchcengagement is mark'ed practical importancesince-it materially adds tothe' life of the valve; The 'valveof this-invention -is repetitive --in that it can be operated a great number of times without serious distortion ot'the parts,

- This is due to the employment of anobdurate sealing element 'of theform described and to the use of an ad'ustablesto 3 000 jeratin l o with acylindrica'l seat. -Through-the cooperationofthese features, highly I meritorious valve is obta-ined.

In the valve 101 this invention, the sealing element may -be'brought into relation with the seatat "any part of the length of the seat, and preferably makes contact therewith in a plane perpendicular to the axisoiithe seat; By reason of its peculiar construction, :the sealing element adapts itself to slight irregularities ot' *this seat, andsince the-sealing relation may be produced at any part of the seat; it is possible by successively changing this location, to maintain the elements in operative condition] for long; periods of time without dismounting for repairs.

Features of the invention, other than those aClVGItQd to, will beiapparent from the here- "matter-detailed description and claims,- when read in conjunction with the- 4 accompanying drawings.

The accompanying drawings illustrate one practical form of the inventlon, but the construction therein shown is to be understood as illustrative only, and not as defining the limits of the invention. v

Figure 1 is atop view of the seat member of the valve, With the sealing element shown in sealing position therein, the valve stem being in section.

Figure 2 is a section through the valve, with the upper portion of the casing broken away.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1, but with the sealing element in non sealing position; and, v

Figures 4 and 5 are sections showing the sealing element in sealing and unsealing positions, respectively. 7

In the drawings, the valve is represented as having a casing 1, provided-with interior ly threaded inlet and outlet passages 2 and formed interiorly with a partition or diaphragm' 3, having" an opening 4. A seat ring 9 is threaded into this opening and has a cylindrical port opening A, the wall 15 of which forms the valve seat.

The valve stem 5 is operable through the customary bonnet, with which it has threaded connection, and is provided at its lower end with an enlargement 5 This enlargement is seated'in a pocket in the valve spindle 7 and a collar 6 is threaded into the pocket to secure the parts'together.

The sealing element 14 is shown as depending from and joined to the spindle by a reduced neck 18. This sealing element is of the hollow discus form specified, and embodies two conical sections 12 and 18 integrally united at their bases-to form a common peripheral edge 14. the section 13 is formed an stud 37.

i Threaded through the bottom. of the eas- .ingis a post 17, arranged coaxially of the valve stem, sealing element and seat, and pro ect1ng upwardly into the path of the stud 37/ Exteriorly of thevalve casing this.

post has a head 43 shaped to receive a wrench, and suitable washers serve to preclude leakage through the threaded joint 42 between the post and casing.

The relationship of the sealing element and seat, when the valve is in unsealing con dition, is as shown in Figure 5. When it is desired to effect a seal, the valve stem is rotated to move the sealing element axially into the position of Figure 4, from which it will be noted that the diameter of the sealing element is such as to permit its entry into the valve port without binding. The movement of the sealing element into the port may be continued until the stud 37 engages the post 17 which thereafter acts as a stop to preclude further bodily movement of the seal element. If the operator continued to screw down the stem 5 after the stud has been engaged by the post, the seal- At the apex of exterior axial ing element will be placed under axial compression'to bring about a decrease in its altitude and a simultaneous expansion of its periphery. In this manner, the peripheral edge 14 is expanded into tight sealing engagement with the seat 15. Inasmuch as the sealing element is of obdurate material, this operation will place said element under stresses which Wlll continue so'longas the seal is maintained. However, when the valve stemis unscrewed, stresses will here heved and Will autogenously cause the seal.-

in'g element to spring back, or tend to reassume, for all practical purposes, its normal unsealing formso thatthe seal will be eiii ciently broken. The sealing element can thereupon be readily returned-to the open position of Figure -During these operations of the sealing element, it is desirable that no gas or liquid become pocketed in the hollow sealing element and for this reason, the neck 18 and the spindle 7 are shown as provided with a relief passage 7 and the collar 6 has a loose fit about the valve stem, so that the pressure within the hollow sealing element may be maintained at all times substantially the same as within the valve chamber at the incompensated for by adjustment of a stop 17 to a slightly different position. The valve,"therefore,-may be adjusted, without removing the cap or bonnet, to insure long life and little maintenance.

It is of importance in practice vthat a seal ing element, constructed as described and of obdurate material will produce a tight seal even though there are slight irregu-' larities in the valve seat orin the'periphery of the sealing element and even though these parts are slightly out of round. Moreover, it is found that ordinary machine parts may be utilized to produce an impervious seal in the manner described, so that lapping or grinding which are almost universally neccssary in the formation of tight seals are entirely unnecessary in the valve of the present invent-ion.

The foregoing detailed description sets forth the invention in its preferred practical form, and the invention is to be understood as fully commensurate with the appended claims.

Having thus fully described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: i

1. In a valve, a casing provided-=with a ment of-obdurate material? and of hollow, substantially discus shape carried by. the vvalve stem and movable thereby into and out stop extending into the .path of the'sealing element to arrest its movement-when said sealing element; arrives ata predetermined position with reference to the seat,whereupon the application offorce to the sealing ing element under axial compression --will stress the sealing' element within its elastic limit to expand its peripheral edge intot-i'ght sealing engagement withthe seat.

2. In a valve, a casing provided with a cylindrical seat, a valve'stem, a sealing ele ment of"obdurate-material and of hollow, substantially discus shape carried: by the valvestem and movable thereby into and out of loose-cooperative relation with the seat,

a stop extending into the path of the sealingelement to arrest its movement when vsaid sealing element arrives at a predetermined position with'reterence tothe seat, where: upon the application oi torce to the sealingelement by the valve stem to placethe seal- 1ng element under axial compression will stress the sealing element within its elasticlimit to expand its peripheral edge .into tight 7 sealing engagement withthe seat, and 111021115 for adjusting the stop to cause the sealing element to form a. seal with the seat at: different predetermined Zones longitudinally of saidseat in order to compensate for wear.-

3. In a valve, a valve stem, a substantially cylindrical valve seat, a sealing element of obdurate material embodying two hollow conical sections 1o1ned at their bases, one

cone having a bearing stud at its apex and the other cone being secured at its'apex .-to1

the valve stem, an adjustable stop extending into the path'of said stud, andmeans'to move the valve stem longitudinally for the purpose 'of bringing the'studinto engagement with the stop and thereupon applying axial :pressure to the sealing element to stress it'within its: 1 elastic limit tor the purpose of radiajlly sealingeielementi of. obduratematerial and v of loose cooperative relation with thevseat, a

. positionsaidwsealing element within': said cylindrical seat, a stop axially mounted'with "respect to said cylindrical seat and means to element by the valve stem-to place the seal i compress: said sealing; element axially; be-

tween said stop and such compression means to expand said-seal into sealing relation with said seat.

tegrally unitedaatatheir bases and-iha-v inga common peripheral sealing-surface, means to position saidsealing'" element 'withinsaid cylindrical seat, a stop axia-llyemounted with respect to-said cylindricalseat, and meansito adjust the position of saidstOp with respect to said seat, and means to compress; said sealingelement axiallybetween said stop and.

such compression imeans'to expand said .seal into sealingrelation with said seat.

" 6. In avalve; a icyl-indrlcal valveseat; a

sealing element adapted-to cooperate with said seat, said sealing element-being: inrthe torm of two hollow conical sections integrally united at their bases, and having; acommon'peripheral sealing surface, said sealing element being formed of-obdurate material as described, means for positioningsaidi-sealing element within said 'cylindricalaseata a stop axially mounted with respect to said,

cylindrical seat,;said stop being adjustable in the line of said axis, and means for compressing said sealing element axially: against; said stop to expand said sealing element to-accomplish aisealbetweenasaid sealing; element and said seat. i

Signed by:.me lat 'Jersey City N. Jnthis 29th day (of December 1925.

\IWYLIEE a WILSON. 

